The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-03-01
MRS. DRUsE CONFEssES
Il Shocking Crime-Iow She Mutilated lie
Hu6bRndtn Remnina. ~ -

"A ohoSAAuS CElme-AoW she Mutilateu Her
Husbands Remains.
ROME, N. Y, Feb. 2s.-The Sen.i,leps
Herkimer special says: At nine o'clock
yesterday morning Or. Powell received Il
message from tho jail requesting his pres.
enco at once, aa Mrs. Druse wished to see
him. He Immediately went to the cell of
the doomed woman. -&f s5
What am about 10 say to you has
never been made public before, and j as.
sure you on the honor of woman etaud.
ing on the brink Of tho grave, that I sm
speaking the truth. The world has turn
ed against me, but I know I have one
friend left, and that is you. Now yon
must promise that you will not say word
OF this until am gone. Then you can
publish 1t and let this cruel world know
the truth OF the matter. I don't want to
takeany more ofyour time than car help,
go will begin: ,fs.2si.
II must take you back before the mur.
der and tell OF q conversation had with
Charles Gates in reference to the killing
Of DrnRe. It YVES about December !, on
Wednesday night. Druso was away, as
he usually was a big part OF the time.
Gates came in and asked me il was
alone. George and Frank we're outridinc
down hill, and Mary was up stairs. Gates
asked me if I did not want to get rid OF
Drnse. I told him I was nearly dead now
and did not care what happened. Ho
asked me If ! still had tho pistol he gave
me. It was in the pantry and told him
80. l went and got it and showed 1t to
him. He saw it was not loaded in all the
barrels, and he put in some more cart
ridges and gave itback to mo. He wanted
to know II could fire II, ard went to
the door and snapped it. 1t did not 90
OF, and 1.put in another cartridge and he
said: We'll, you know how to do it and
that Is enough He then said: Nov, ii
anything happens you can depend upon
me to help you Then he went away,
and came back on December II, the night
before tho murder, and told me to hurry
up and take the first chance got. He
said l should not burn tho head, and that
he would take care Of that. He psid he
would get the buckwheat the same time
and save any cause Of suspicion. IA,
'H.+ now DRUsE WAS KILLED.
1.-THE next morning saw him coming
up the road just as Druse sat down 10
breakfast. This was after he had raised
the axe to strike me and ran into the
pantry. got the pistol and came out.
he was aitting down at the table. He
swore awful about the tea and sugar. I
raised the pistol and shot. I hit him in
the neck and only stunned him. Gates
then shot through the window and he
iell to the floor. Gates then shot again. I
only shot once. Gates shot three or four
times. I took the axe and cut the head
oil and chopped him up. The head was
wrapped in paper, and carried out to tho
woodshed. It was put in lot Of buck
wheat. The body was all burned up and
mono was given to the pigs. That part is
not true. It was all burned, and then
boiled. Gates came that night and / told
him what had happened. He grasped nv
hand and said I had done nobly. He eaid
he would 90 for the buckwheat tomorrow
morning which he did. He took Druss's
head with him. It was buried one mile
from Richdeld Springs where could End
1t II l wished. 5- Va VI --,
"Charlie Peet overheard us talking
about 1t once, but he is dead now, and
can't talk. Gates is the only one who
knows anything about 1t. There was
another man with Gates when he rot the
buckwheat and that WAC Elwood. His
name was Bill. It took eight hours to
burn the body and 1t made IN awful
smell. I nearly tainted several times,
George and Frank Gates were there some
OF the time, but they did not see much. I
sent them down to the woods and had
them carry shingles. killed Druae be-
cause could not stand II any longer. He
was brute aud I had not slept with him
for twelve yeare. That Is all I can tell.
Gates put up Frank to tell what he did to
shove it all on me, but he will get his re-.
ward sometime" ',.jjs5FTs Ts7I'
Nov you must not tell any one this
until I am gone, and not let IL get into auy
paper until after Il o'clock tomorrow. I
don't care how many know 1t then, j
trust 10 you to see it is all right, You car
Say, too, that on my dying day I am more
innocent Of the crime than those who mi
mo up to 1t. freely forgive them ali al
who 80 cruelty deserted mo. There are
come names on that petition sent from
Warren which could cover with shame
but ! die in peace with every ene.''
After she had finished, Dr.. Powell. on
Of observance Of the holy day, offered g
abort prayer and took his leave. G!57f1'T